Record playing automotive horn



Oct. 27., 1942. BAYER 2,300,093

RECORD PLAYING AUTOMOTIVE HQRN Filed June 24, 1940 INVENTOR CAM WATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a sound producing and operating mechanismparticularly adaptable for use as an automotive horn.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a record playingdevice electrically connected to a loud speaker so designed as to bemounted within an automobile and operatively under the control of thperson driving the automobile; the record used in the record playingdevice being of the cylindrical type, and said device includingmechanism for imparting a quick return of the arm carrying the diaphragmand needle of said device.

Another object of this invention is to provide on the cylindrical recorda plurality of spaced sound tracks for producing a plurality ofdifferent sound passages as for example a warning sound, a short melody,a slogan or in fact any desired sound, and each adapted to beselectively engaged. I

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention resides inthe novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made Within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is il lustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing record player device, itselectrical connections to loud speaker or horn, and operatingmechanism.

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 22, Fig. 1 showing operating camsfor the control aim of the record playing device.

Referring to the drawing, IIldenotes a cylindrical record of a type wellknown mounted on a shaft II for rotation therewith, the record shaft Hbeing supported intermediate its ends ina bearing I2. The record In isdetachably-mounted on the shaft II in any desired manner (not shown) andis supported at its end remote from the bearing I2 on an axially movablestub shaft I3 rotatably supported on a bearing I4 andaxially movabletherein. A hand wheel I5 is provided on the outer end of the stubshaftI3to facilitate axial movement thereof intov andout of engagement withthe record I0.

Adjacent the record I0 there is providedv a screw I8 arranged parallelto the axis of rotation of the record I0, one endv of said screw beingrotatably supported in a bearing I9, the other end of saidscrewterminating .in a shaftportion 20 .39 which meshes with the will rotateone or the other rotatably mounted inwardly of its end in a bearing 2|.A control arm 22 is provided at one end with an internally threaded hub23, adapted'to be mounted on the screw I8 for axial movement thereonbetween the bearings I9 and 2 I, the path of movement of the control armbeing not less than the length of the record I0. On its other end thecontrol arm 22 carries a diaphragm housing 24 which is provided with aconventional needle support 25, including a clamping screw 26 forclamping a needle 21 therein.

The end portion of the shaft II extending beyond the bearing I2 hasmounted thereon two axially spaced electro-magnetic clutches 30 and 3|,each including, respectively, freely rotatable clutch plates 32 and 32',and slidable clutch plates 33 and 33, keyed to said shaft for rotationtherewith. Freely rotatable on the shaft II and fixed to the stationaryclutch plate 32 is a gear 34, and similarly rotatable freely on theshaft I I and fixed to the stationary clutch plate 32' is a smaller gear35. Also fixed to the shaft II outwardly of the gear 35 are the gears 36and 31. An electric motor 38 is provided with a drive gear gear 36 forimparting rotation to the shaft II. Thus, with one or the other of theelectro-magnetic clutches 33 and 3| in closed position as will behereinafter described, rotation of the shaft I I by the gear drive39-46, of the gears 34 or 35. Fixedly mounted on the shaft portion 20 ofthe screw I8 are the gears 40 and 4|, the gear 43 meshing directly withthe gear 34; while the gear il meshes with an idler gear 42 which inturn meshes with the gear 35. With the electro-magnetic clutch 3Iclosed, the gear train 35, 42, M is operative torotate the screw I8 toimpart a forward movement to the record control arm 22. With theelectro-magnetic clutch 30 closed, the

gear train 34, 40 is operative to rotate the screw I8 in a reversedirection to return the control arm 22 to its initial position. Th geartrain 34, 40 is so designed as to provide a quick return of the controlarm 22 as compared to its forward movement upon rotation of the screw I8when the gear train 35, 42, M is operative.

In order to automatically control the operation of the electro-magneticclutches 30 and 3| for operating the record If! and the playing thereofthere is provided a pair of vertically spaced cam shafts and 5I, seeFig. 2, each rotatably supported at one end respectively in upper andlower bearings 52 (only the upper being shown, Fig. 1) and intermediateits ends,-respective1y in upper and lower bearings 53 (only the upperbeing shown, Fig. 1). On the end of each of the cam shafts 50 and 5|projecting beyond the bearings 53 are respectively fixed the gears 54and 54, both gears being identical in size, and both simultaneouslymeshing with an idler gear 55. The idler gear 55 in turn meshes with anidler gear 56 which latter is in fixed co-axial relation to an idlergear 5! adapted to mesh with the outermost gear 31 on the record shaftH. Preferably both idler gears 56 and 51 are fixedly mounted on the sameshaft and the idler gear 51 is of a size considerably larger than theidler gear 56 and the gear 31.

Each of the cam shafts 50 and 5| is respectively provided with a cam 60and 6 I, of identical shape and size. Thus each cam is defined by asemicylindrical surface 62, and a semi-cylindrical surface 63 of alarger diameter, both of said surfaces being joined by a shoulderedportion 64. Formed integral with the control arm hub 23 is a followerarm 65, provided with a rounded end 66 lying between the cams andsubstantially in the vertical plane passing through the axes of the camshafts 50 and 5|. The cams 6|] and 6| are of the same length as thelength of the record I0 and are positioned on their respective camshafts such that the semi-cylindrical surface 52' of the cam 60 willengage the upper surface of the cam follower 65 while thesemi-cylindrical surface 63 of the cam 6| will engage the lower surfaceof the cam follower 65 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thus, as the screw 8is rotated the control arm 22 is held against rotation by the followerarm 65, the upper and lower surfaces of which are in engagement with thecam surfaces, the follower arm 65 sliding between said cam surfaces asthe control arm 22 is moved forwardly on the screw Hi. In the positionof the parts shown in Fig. 2 the control arm 22 is in its down oroperative position. The needle 21 riding in the sound track of therecord Ill. The gear train 31, 51, 56, 55, 54, 54' is so designed as toimpart one-half revolution to each of the cam shafts for a time-intervalequal to the time the control arm 22 traverses the length of the recordduring the playing thereof. The control arm is held in a down or playingposition during the entire time interval because the semi-cylindricalcam surfaces 62 and 63 are so synchronized and co-related that only atthe end of the forward movement of the control arm will the cam surface53 of the upper cam 60 and the cam surface 62 of the lower cam 6| cometogether in operative relation to the cam follower 55 so as to cause andpermit the cam follower 55 to move down and to swing the control arm 22about the axis of the screw l8 as a fulcrum in a direction away from thesurface of the record to thereby raise the needle 21 from the soundtrack.

Arranged above and below the screw l8 and parallel thereto are contactbars each of a length equal to the length of the record l0. Fixed to thehub 23 of the control arm are upper and lower contact arms 69 and 10, atthe ends of which :are respectively attached contact plates H and 12.The relative positions of the contact arms B9, 10 and contact bars 51,58 is such that when the upper contact bar 61' is engaged by the contactplate H of the upper contact arm 59, the lower contact bar 68 andcontact plate 12 of the lower contact arm 10 are out of engagement, andvice versa. The contact plates slidably engage their respective contactbars alternately for the entire movement of the control arm 22 on thescrew l8, first during forward movement and then during reverse movementthereon.

Suitably mounted on the dash or steering wheel is a switch 15 includingtwo pairs of opposed contacts I6, 16' and 11, 11. A conductor 18connects the contacts T6, 11 to one terminal of a battery 19, the otherbattery terminal being grounded as at in the manner well known.Connecting the upper and lower contact plates H and 1.2 to the switchcontact 15 is a conductor 8|, and in the same line is a conductor 82connected to one terminal of the electric motor 38. The other motorterminal is grounded as at 83. The upper contact bar 51 is connected bya conductor 84 to the clutch plate 32' of the electromagnetic clutch 3|,while the lower contact bar 68 is connected by a conductor 85 to theclutch plate 32 of the electro-magnetic clutch. The other clutch plates33 and 33' are respectively grounded as at 86 and 81. From the switchcontact 11 there is a conductor 90 to the amplifier 9| and a conductor92 connects the diaphram housing 24 to said amplifier. The amplifier 9|has a built-in horn 93, the details of construction of both theamplifier and horn forming no part of this invention.

In the relative position of parts shown in Fig. 1, assuming the switch15 closed for starting the motor 38, at the same time the engagement ofthe contact plate H with the contact bar 5'! closes the electro-magneticclutch 3| whereby power of the motor 38 is transmitted through the geartrain 35, 42, 4| to turn the screw |8 causing forward movement of thecontrol arm carrying the needle 21. Also at the same time the amplifier9| is turned on and. the record I0 rotated so that there is emitted fromthe horn 93 the sound recorded on the record. When the control armcompletes its forward movement the earns 60 and GI cause the control armto swing counterclockwise, see Fig. 2, which movement breaks theengagement of the contact plate 1| with contact bar 61 and brings intoengagement contact plate 12 and contact bar 68 so as to close theelectromagnetic clutch 30 and open electrc-magnetic clutch 3| forcausing the gear train 34, 40 to operate to turn the screw H3 in areverse direction whereby to move the control arm 22 back to its initialposition. When the second halfrevolution of the cams 60 and 6| iscompleted the control arm 22 is lowered into operative position.

In order to provide for a lowering of the control arm 22 immediatelywhen it is brought back to its initial position, if such be desired, thecircumferential extent of the upper cam surface 53 and thecircumferential extent of the lower cam surface 62 may be decreased likeamounts so that the time interval of engagement of said reduced camsurfaces with the cam follower 65 is equal to the time taken for thereturn of the control arm to its initial position.

It is desired to be understood that any form of sound may be recorded onthe record H], which may take the form of a warning sound, a melody, aslogan, etc.

Having thus described the invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical soundrecord, a shaft mounting the same for rotative movement therewith, anelectric motor, a gear drive connecting said motor to said shaft, acontrol arm carrying a diaphragm and needle for movement on the soundtrack of said record, a screw parallel to said shaft supporting saidcontrol arm. and operative to move the same to its initial position, apair of gear drives connecting said' shaft and screw, one

arranged to rotate said screw in one direction and the other to rotatesaid screw in a reverse direction, an electro-magnetic clutch for eachof said pair of gear drives mounted on said shaft operative whenalternatively closed to transmit the drive from said shaft to said screwfor either forward or reverse rotation thereof, a pair of cam means, acam follower on said control arm engaging said cam means, a gear drivconnecting said cam means with said shaft, a pair of contact arms onsaid control arm, a pair of contact bars each adapted to be engaged byits complemental contact arm when the other contact bar is disengagedfrom its complemental contact arm alternately, said contact arms andcontact bars being electrically connected to an electro-magnetic clutchand said cam means being operative to elevate said control arm todisengage the needle from the record upon completion of its forwardmovement on said screw whereby to move said contact arms and contactbars into and out of engagement to respectively close and open theelectro-magnetic clutches so as to render the forward gear driveinoperative and the reversing gear drive operative to move said controlarm in a reverse direction on said screw back to its initial operativeposition with relation to said record. EDWARD BAYER.

